Paying for essay writing

I've just been looking for jobs on the Working Mums website, when I came across an advert saying that this company are recruiting. How is this even legal? Although I'd quite enjoy the work, surely it would impinge on your credibility as an academic? I can't believe that such a service exists, does anyone know anyone who has used something like this?

Well, it wouldn't just impinge on your credibility, if you or the student got found out by the academic department, you or them would be punished, ranging from receiving no mark, getting a formal warning or being dismissed. Universities take plagarism and cheating very seriously (it wouldn't be your own work, but someone elses) and employ quite sophisticated software to detect it (how would you complain to the university if it turned out your 'completely original non-plagarised essay' was copied elsewhere by the essay writer?!)

You can work legally and honestly in similar fields by doing things like a) tutoring students at school and university level b) OU teaching, although the subjects they want are very restricted c) dissertation proof-reading and copy-editing (which is allowed).